


The Gift You Gave

by lukeskyliquor



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22227514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lukeskyliquor/pseuds/lukeskyliquor
Summary: Finding the perfect gift can put a lot of pressure on someone, but there are more important things in love.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	The Gift You Gave

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oihyum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oihyum/gifts).

> This fic is a gift for my dear friend Emi!! I really hope you like it bb   
;-; This is the first time I’ve written something and actually finished it in, ahh, I don’t know how long? Apologies if I’m rusty and it’s not very good ha;; Merry belated Christmas Em, I love you!

The cool wind bit at your exposed face. You tugged your shirt collar up as you made your way into yours and Jihyun’s home on the evening of December the twenty-fourth. 

You were disappointed in yourself this Christmas Eve. Despite your best efforts, you had not been able to think of or even find a good gift; a gift worthy of your first real Christmas together with Jihyun. Sure, you’d had some ideas: art supplies, a framed picture of the two of you, Christmas-themed lingerie for an unforgettable night....

But with every idea you had, you felt it lacked that certain spark of romance you so wanted to treat him with. Jihyun deserved it, and so much more.

As you sorted through your keys the closer you got to your front door, you realized that you didn’t need them; Jihyun was opening the door, a wide grin on his face, ready to greet you.

“Merry Christmas, my love,” he said warmly. Your heart skipped a beat as he took one of your gloved hands into his bear one, guiding you up the steps in the low porch light. “How was your day?”

“It was alright... Listen, Jihyun, I really need to talk to you if that’s okay.”

“Of course that’s more than okay, honey.” He closed the front door and locked the deadbolt behind you. He then turned towards you to help you shrug out of your coat and put your shoes away. This sort of thing wasn’t out of the norm for him at all, but even his usual kindness gave you a little twinge of guilt. “There’s something i want to show you first if that’s all right.”

“Sure,” you agreed.

You were a bit surprised when he ducked behind you and placed his hands over your eyes.

“Wh-“ you started to ask, but were soon hushed.

“Shhh, just trust me, it’s a surprise.”

“Jihyun,” you whined. “Can’t I just keep my eyes closed?”

“No, because then you’ll peek.” You could hear the grin in his voice. Damn. He knew you too well.

You could tell he was leading you down the hallway towards the living room. When you got there he stopped, kept one arm around your eyes while he shifted around to stand in front of you instead of behind. 

You couldn’t help but smirk. “What are you doing?”

“I would like to see the look on your face when you see it. Ready?”

He didn’t wait for your answer, removing his hold on you before you even responded. When he did, you could see what had made him so giddy like a child.

Your shared home looked as though it was set in a Christmas catalog. On the coffee table lay a tray with decorative cookies, and two festive mugs with steam still rolling out of them, showing you he must have just made your favorite warm drink. Your couch had brand new festive pillows on it, tying the atmosphere together. The electric fireplace was lit with two stockings hung off the mantle in front of it. Colorful Christmas lights and green wreath hung at every possible structure they could fit on: the mantle, the windowsill, and so on. The tree he had put up was magnificent, standing at possibly eleven or twelve feet (good thing your living room had high ceilings.) You recognized some of the ornaments, and some were new to you; you briefly wondered if V already had them or if he picked them up as souvenirs during his travels. You were taken aback at the time and effort that this all must have taken him.

“What do you think?” 

“Jihyun... It’s beautiful. You did all this yourself? Today?“

“Well, the cookies were store bought.” That mischievous grin of his you only got to see every once in a while plastered his face, and you were mesmerized by the way he glowed under the mood lighting. “You really like it?”

“I love it...” you said honestly. “It really looks like Christmas time.”

“I want you to feel like it is, too, Emi.”

You couldn’t suppress the little smile that crept itself onto your face. “It does. I do.”

“Good.” He smiled and kissed the tip of your nose. “So what did you want to talk to me about?”

“Oh. That...” Your mood dropped immediately, the reality of your oversight hitting you full-force. “I feel guilty.”

“Guilty? For what?”

You took a deep breath and looked away from him. You couldn’t meet his eyes as you said what you had to say.

“Jihyun, I’m so sorry. You did all this for me and I couldn’t even think of a decent gift to give you this year...” you sighed and buried your face in your hands.

“Is that what this is all about?” You dared a peek at his expression between your fingers; the corners of his mouth turned up just the slightest little bit. He appeared a bit amused. 

“Well, yes,” you admitted, guilt engulfing around you and making your chest tighten as the words left your mouth. “It’s our first Christmas together, and I really wanted to make it special. I’m bad at explaining what I feel and terrible at festivities, I wanted to at least do something nice for you but now I can’t even do that right.”

Before you know it, his hands are shooing your hands from your face, and cupping your cheeks with his own warm ones. Jihyun smiles at you so sweetly.

“Emi,” he says softly, voice dripping with adoration. “You’ve already given me more gifts than I know what to do with, honey.”

This puzzled you. Sure, for his birthday you had given him a few presents, and you occasionally give him little things if they remind you of him, but certainly not an overwhelming amount.

He chuckles, placing a quick kiss on your forehead. “Why don’t we go sit down and talk about this?”

He gently took your hand and guided you over to your now-Christmas-themed sofa. As the two of you sat, he took both of your hands into his own. His eyes bore into your with a quiet intensity; he was still his gentle self, but something about this look told you to take what he says next for what it is. 

“Since we’ve been together, you’ve given me happiness. You’ve given me so much joy and laughter, you’ve given me comfort and you’ve pushed me out of my comfort zone more than once. Which I’m grateful for.” He chuckled as he moved a lock of your hair behind your ear before continuing. 

“You’ve been patient with me as I’ve come to terms with myself and my life. You’re the one who taught me to value myself... no, to _love_ myself. Emi, you’ve given me the gift of self preservation when I didn’t believe I deserved it. You literally saved my life.” His eyes welled up a bit at the last few sentences he uttered. You shifted a bit uncomfortably behind his unfaltering gaze, but he still didn’t break it. “The most important gifts in life are the ones we can’t see. You’ve done more for me than I can ever fully thank you for,” he said with a tone of finality.

You hesitated a bit before speaking. “But still... Aren’t you disappointed, Jihyun?”

“Not at all. I have what I truly want most.”

You smiled, ignoring the heat rushing to your face. “What’s that?”

He grinned, blush coloring his own cheeks. “I think you already know, but I’ll tell you anyway.” He leaned closer to you and for a moment you thought he was going to kiss you, but then his lips found the shell of your ear. His warm breath sent tingles down your body as he whispered in your ear. “It’s you.”

A little laugh escaped past your lips and you couldn’t help but grin at him. Jihyun always knew exactly how to comfort you.

Jihyun sat back up straight and looked at you earnestly. “With all the things I’ve mentioned, if I could be selfish and just ask you for one more.”

You pretended to consider it, tapping a finger to your chin and glancing up at the ceiling for a few moments and then grinning at him, playfully this time. “I’ll think about it. What is it?”

He kissed the tip of your nose once more before positioning himself on the floor in front of you, supporting his weight on one knee. Your mind spun as he fished a small red box out of his pocket. 

“I wanted to wait, but I can’t think of a more perfect time than this moment...” His face alighted with a soft glow, especially illuminated by the colorful lights surrounding you two. “You’ve given me everything I could ever need or want, and then some. I’d like the chance to do the same for you, even if it takes me a lifetime. Emi, will you marry me?”

He opened the box. Inside laid a beautiful diamond engagement ring with a golden band: elegant, but not over-the-top.

Tears developed in your eyes, and you blinked them away before they could spill over. “Are you sure? Really sure?”

Jihyun laughed, the sound so light and joyful you couldn’t help but melt a little bit. “Of course I’m sure. I’ve never been more sure.” He said it so matter-of-factly you couldn’t doubt the validity of his claim. 

You blinked again, willing your eyes to cooperate with you here and stop tearing. “Of course I’ll marry you, Jihyun.”

He slipped the ring onto your ring finger, then took your hands as he guided you up to stand with him. He wrapped his arms securely around your waist and picked you up to spin you around. You laughed out of shock and playfully pushed at his shoulder. “Jihyun!”

He set you down on two feet and used one slender finger to tilt your chin up. The kiss he gave you was warm and deep. Were you lightheaded from him spinning you, or from his lips?

“I love you, Emi.”

“I love you too, Jihyun.”

“And one more thing...”

“What is it?”

He suddenly lowered his voice, like he was telling you a secret. 

“The promise of spending our lives together? That’s the best gift I could ever hope for.”


End file.
